The EA SPORTS announcement of the 2017 Madden NFL Championship Series last year at EA Play, along with the $1,000,000 prize pool, made major waves in the entire gaming community. The final event in the Championship Series, the 2017 Madden Championship, is now down to the final 32 players ready to compete in the live final, which starts April 29 in Los Angeles, California. The finalists will compete to earn their share of the $500,000 prize pool and be crowned champion of the 2017 season. As we head into the finals, here are five reasons the Madden Championship is not to be missed:

1. The Competitors

The 2017 Madden Championship has 32 finalists all competing for a share of that huge $500,000 prize. Because this is such a great event, the very best Madden competitors in the world are going to be involved. This means, if you're looking to improve your game, you can’t miss watching and learning as these competitors duke it out on the biggest stage.

2. 40 Plus Broadcast Hours

With the 2017 Madden Championship spanning over 3 weeks, with 7 days totaling over 40 hours of broadcast time, catching some of the action will be easier than ever. Don't miss a snap on twitch.tv/madden from April 29 - May 14.

3. Watching Along with the Community

Twitch.tv/Madden takes you straight to the only place to watch every detail of the broadcast live. You’ll also have the chance to communicate with other fans, whether it’s making predictions, cheering on competitors, or screaming via chat when your favorite player lights up the scoreboard.

4. Salary Cap Ranked Mode

The community-favorite Salary Cap Ranked mode makes its return in the 2017 Madden Championship. It allows competitors to build their team with current NFL Stars and past NFL Legends, fitting their exact play style to dominate the competition. Do your lineups measure up against the pros? Find out!

5. Playing with Legends

Every 2017 Madden Championship roster revolves around NFL Legends. Will Night Train Lane make the game-saving tackle, or will Emmitt Smith dominate the line of scrimmage and the ground game? There’s only one way to know!

The 2017 Madden Championship is powered by the Xbox One S, the ultimate games and 4k entertainment system for Madden NFL fans. Watch the Live Finals in Los Angeles starting on Saturday, April 29 on twitch.tv/madden.